The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-02-02
LANSING. january %,

the membership of the present Legislature
is considerably ahead of that of two years
ago in point of ability, il is nevertheless a
fact that the business of the session starts
Oft with less speed, and that less progress
has so far been made than at the same time
in any previous session for some years.
REGARDING APPROPRIATIONS.
While no appropriation bills have vet
been passed, and very few even considered
it is CI.te certain, in view OF the fact that
nearly Of al the various Stale institutions
are asking for appropriations largely in ex-
cess of their demands of two years ago. as
shown by the figures given by Governor
Luce in his inaugural message, that the
appropriations made by the present Legis-
allure, general and special, will not fall
short vi $4,000, 900, or at least a half
milllt%A dollars more for 1875 than foi
1860.
SOCIAL PURITY.
In response To the unanimous wish of the
women of Michigan for better law for the
protection of the girls of our State, Repre-
sentative Harrington, of Oakland, has in
Il oduced bill to amend the laws relative
to otfenses against the lives and persons of
individuals. The present law fixes the
age OF consent" at ten years, which allows
many rascal to escape just punishment
for assaults on young girls with a simple
conviction of adultry, when he should be
punished for rape. The State Grange, al
Its recent annual session, adopted rosolu-
tons asking the Legislature to raise the age
of consent to eighteen years, and that is
what Mr.. Herrington's bill seeks TO do.
Statistics show that Washington Territory
has recently raised the age to fourteen
years, while Massachusetts last year raised
it to thirteen, and Nebraska and Nevada
put 1t ut twelve two years ago, and Virginia
last year followed suit. In all the other
States ten years r retained, as at present
in this State. After two full half day ses-
sions spent in the consideration of this bill
the age was fixed at fourteen, as a COM
promise between the present ten and the
eighteen asked for. 1t was thought that
at eighteen the way would be open for
numberless suits for blackmail by those
abandoned girls who are just as depraved
at fifteen or sixteen as at eighteen
or twenty. The bill was finally recon-
mitted to the Judiciary Committee,
but it is likely to pass both houses at
fourteen years, as 1t now reads. AS
this is a subject that interests every father
and mother in the State, it is perhaps as
important as any that is likely to be con-
sidered at the present session.
SOLDIERS HOME INVESTIGATION.
A Legislature without an investigation or
two would be no Legislature at all, and this
is likely TO be no exception to those of
former years. The House has adopted,
and the Senate will do the same, the fol-
lowing resolution, offered on the goth, by
Representative Rumsey:
WHEREAS, Certain newspapers of the
State contain insinuations and charges
against the good management of the Sol
diers Home at Grand Rapids, insinuating
and claiming that the institution is mis-
managed; that its inmates are neglected
and abused, and used like dogs, and that it
is hell rather than q humane institution;
therefore,
ResOlred the Senate concurring), That
a select committee, consisting of three of
the House and two of the Senate, be APP
pointed to investigate the lnsinuations and
charges of bad management at that institu-
ton.
ResOlred further, That said committee
be and ii is hereby authorized to hold ses-
sions at the Soldiers Home or elsewhere,
to administer oaths, to enforce the attend
ance of witnesses, to take testimony, en-
ploying n clerk or stenographer therefor, if
they shall find the same necessary, and to
perform all such duties as it shall decide
best, to ascertain fully the truth or falsity
of such newspaper insinuations and charges,
and report their doings to this Legislature
atthe earliest possible day.
THE PRoHIBITORY AMENDMENT
has not yet been acted on in the Senate,
the only action had on it this week being
to make its consideration special order
for the 9th inst. 1t is positively known
that Senator Seymour will not vote for it,
while it is not at all certain that Senator
Hubbell will, yet one Democratic Senator
is understood 10 have said that the amend
ment shall 90 to the people next spring
with Mr.. Hubbells vote if it can and with
out it il it must. Mr.. Hubbell voted for it
two years ago, and it is more than likely
that he will do so again this. The Pro-
hibitionists have all along been saying that
they did not want the submission unless it
could come through their own party, which
everybody knows can never beat least not
for century or two. Their State Central
Committee, in session here on the 20th,
recognizing that fact, passed the following
resolution:
"ResolUed, That true to our sound prin-
ciples, in harmony with all our previously
authorized utterances on this subject, and
regardless of any political considerations
which may in part influence their actions
in the premises, we hail with much salts
faction the prospective passage of joint
resolution by the Legislature now in ses-
sion submitting to vote of the people a
uuu
of its passage We hereby pledge ourselves
to exert our utmost influence, in concert
with the temperance men of all other par
ties, to secure its adoption at the polls"
BRIEF MENTION.
Governor Luce nominated and the Sem
ate confirmed on the both another long list
of notaries and the following appointive
Stale officers: Member of the Board of Fish
Commissioners, Joel c. Parker, of Grand
Rapids; member of Board of Control of
State Reform School, William Donavan,
of Lansing; trustees of Traverse City In
sane Asylum, Varnum b. Cochran, of Mar
quette, and Loren +. Roberts, of Traverse
City; member of Board of Control of In
stitution for the Deaf and Dumb, Geo. L.
Warren, of Flint. These are all for six
years from Jan. /, 1887.
Standard time was made the legal time
of the State at the session of two years ago,
but in many cases it has proven very COM
plicating and unsatisfactory, and so bill
is now before the House to repeal the law
making it legal time. After n half day
spent in discussion of the bill 10 repeal,
the House refused to pass it, the vote stand
~, A otI